Setting Up Filters for Static Files

Summary of Steps

1. If your site does not already use worker machines, configure VM:Webgateway to use worker machines.
2. Code the filter.
3. Place the filter on a minidisk or SFS directory accessed by the VM:Webgateway SVM.
4. Define a content filetype definition that references the filter.
5. Let your users know that the filter is available and explain the function it performs and the filetype to use.

Steps in Detail

1. If your site does not already use worker machines, configure VM:Webgateway to use worker machines.

   VM:Webgateway requires that filters run on worker machines.

2. Code the filter.

   A filter is a CMS Pipelines stage. Use REXX to code the filter. For more information about CMS Pipelines stages, refer to IBM documentation. For specific information about coding a filter for VM:Webgateway to use, refer to the description of the programming interface for filters.

3. Place the filter on a minidisk or SFS directory accessed by the VM:Webgateway SVM.

   The file containing the filter must have a filetype of REXX. You can give the filter any filename. You do not have to reference filters in DIRMAP files.

4. Define a content filetype definition that references the filter.

   VM:Webgateway only filters a file if the content filetype for a request indicates that it should be filtered. In order to use the filter, you must define at least one content filetype that is associated with the filter. Then, when VM:Webgateway receives a request for a file that uses the content filetype associated with the filter, VM:Webgateway invokes the filter to reformat the requested file.

   When you define the content filetype, give it the following characteristics:

   Content Type	Specify the content-type you want VM:Webgateway to send to the browser for the reformatted file.
   Translation	If you want VM:Webgateway to translate the data in the file (for example, from EBCDIC to ASCII), specify the translation table you want VM:Webgateway to use.
   SSI Commands	Indicate that you do not want VM:Webgateway to parse for SSI commands. VM:Webgateway does not recognize SSI commands in a file that is to reformatted with a filter.
   Filter	Supply the filename of the filter and the input arguments you want VM:Webgateway to pass to the filter.

   VM:Webgateway does not ensure that the filter exists when you configure the content filetype. The filter must exist before VM:Webgateway can serve a file that needs to use the filter.

5. Let your users know that the filter is available and explain the function it performs and the filetype to use.

   Although users can enter the QUERY FILETYPE command to list all filetype definitions that are associated with filters, this information will not tell the user what the function of each filter is.

   The VM:Webgateway system administrator should let users know what filters they need to use to reformat files.